Congo Politician Beaten To Death After Speaking On Ebola

Congo Politician Beaten To Death After Speaking On Ebola

A senior official of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s ruling party has died after he was allegedly attacked by residents shortly after speaking on radio about measures to prevent the spread of Ebola.

Marie-Celestin Karondwa, acting president of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS) federal executive committee in Butembo, North Kivu province, was attacked on Sunday, according to the party.

Karondwa had appeared on a local radio programme where he discussed the Ebola outbreak and urged residents to observe recommended preventive measures.

The UDPS said he was later attacked by residents in his neighbourhood. His belongings were reportedly looted before his house was set on fire.

Karondwa sustained serious injuries and later died, the party said.

The circumstances surrounding the attack remain unclear. It was not immediately established who carried out the assault, how many people were involved or what specifically triggered the violence.

The party described Karondwa as an innocent victim who had publicly defended its position on the existence of Ebola and the danger posed by the disease.

The attack took place in Butembo, an area of North Kivu that has become a major focus of the current Ebola outbreak.

The incident has heightened concerns over mistrust surrounding Ebola response efforts, with health workers and response facilities facing attacks and other security challenges in parts of the region.

On Saturday, armed men reportedly attacked a hand-washing checkpoint in nearby Beni territory, killing at least one person and injuring several others, according to a local civil society organisation.

The Democratic Republic of Congo declared the latest Ebola outbreak on May 15. Government figures released on Monday showed that 8,067 people had been infected and 3,901 had died.

The figures underline the growing pressure on health authorities as they attempt to contain transmission through surveillance, contact tracing, infection prevention and community awareness.

The mayor of Butembo had not immediately responded to requests for comment on Karondwa’s death.

The killing comes at a time when public cooperation is considered crucial to containing the outbreak, particularly in communities where fear, misinformation and insecurity have complicated health response efforts.